Vision

The vision of The Grove is to help people take their next step of faith with Jesus.

  • In John 18:1-4, we find Jesus embracing His next step of obedience in the midst of a grove. This next step would lead to His death on the cross.
  • Like Jesus, we want to embrace our next steps regardless of what those steps may mean or require of us. However, we will do that surrounded by The Grove, not trees, but people, His church, who are all striving to embrace our next steps together as we live, work, and play! We like to think through next steps in terms of the three relationships we know Jesus experienced regularly: UP, IN, and OUT

Values

Our values help us stay focused on what it will take see our vision become a reality.

  • Multiply Disciples and Churches as the Gospel flows Through Us
  • Welcome Imperfections, Questions, and Strengths
  • Take Responsibility for the Community as we Live, Work,
    and Play

Affiliation

The Grove Church functions as an autonomous local church congregation, but we have chosen to partner with the Missionary Church family of churches (www.mcusa.org) and its Ignite Church Planting Network for collaboration purposes in advancing the Kingdom of God locally, nationally, and around the world.

Beliefs

Our beliefs determine our values which in turn guide our behavior. These are the beliefs of The Grove as expressed through the words of God in the Old and New Testaments. Belief in and obedience to the principles in the Bible determine all that is important about us as individual people.

God

There is only one eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing and everywhere-present Triune God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit— who is the creator and sustainer of all things (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; 1 Timothy 2:5).

Father

God the Father created the universe and everything in it. He is a big God but at the same time is a personal God who knows each person’s every need. Jesus said God knows us so well he has numbered every hair on each person’s head. God the Father is the perfect example for all earthly fathers. He is holy, just and fair, but his most outstanding quality is love.  In his greatest act of love, God the Father sent his only Son to be the perfect sacrifice for the sin of all humanity, Jews and Gentiles alike. (Genesis 1:1-2:3, Matthew 10:30, 1 John 4:8)

Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry as Intercessor and Advocate (Acts 1:9, 10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2). We believe Jesus is coming again to judge the living and the dead (1 Peter 4:5; Romans 14:9; 2 Timothy 4:1).

Holy Spirit

He draws unbelievers to the point of salvation. He convicts the world of sin, illuminates the truths of God, and regenerates all who repent of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He sanctifies, empowers, teaches, guides and comforts the believers as one grows as a disciple and seeks to make disciples (John 16:7, 8, 12-15). We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts. It is, however, the believer’s responsibility to attempt to develop their given spiritual gift(s). The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and is the placing of the believer into the Body of Christ. We also believe that particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential, nor prove the presence of the Holy Spirit, nor are an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 13; Ephesians 4:7-8).

Bible

The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, and God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12, 13, 2 Peter 1:20-21).

Salvation

Salvation is the gift of God given to those who will receive it. Salvation happens as a result of genuine repentance of sin and declared faith in the atoning work of Christ in response to the drawing of God by the Holy Spirit. It brings forgiveness to the repentant, makes him righteous in the eyes of God and gives peace with God. We call this new birth (John 3, Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

Church

We believe in the universal Church as the living Body of Christ which can be expressed and experienced through local church gatherings. The church Jesus founded, is composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus who have been vitally united by faith to Christ, its living Head and sovereign Lord. (Matthew 16:18; Hebrews 12:22-24)

Ordinances

We believe there are two Christian ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe they are outward rites appointed by Christ to be administered in each church, not as a means of salvation, but as a visible sign and seal of its reality. (Acts 8:36; 1 Corinthians 11:24-34)